Show J 1 THE PURPOSE OF DEFENSE DAY DAY I 1 Y J i By COL S S. S C C. C BALDWI July Fourth this year is the secand second second sec sec- ond and Defense Test day under the neW rew American System stem of national defense a system new only in its practical effective operation for It H HtA tA i b was pronounced ip policy by George Washington The purposes purposes' of this f test Hest are succinctly set forth in a statement by the secretary of war Which follows AMERICAN SYSTEM The system of national defense the plans for which will be subjected sub sub- jetted to their test by our citizens Is is American This is noteworthy as' as the natural Inclination after the theW W World war was to turn to European sources for our military system Studies b by members of congress I. I officers of th the regular army and national guard and veterans of the World war reached the conclusion f c that the American defense system systemS S 5 outlined by George Washington Alexander Hamilton Thomas Jefferson Jefferson Jef Jef- 55 ferson and other early leaders of our country was correct The fall fall- ure ure of ot the system was due primarily i to lack of practical measures to tomake tomake make crake it effective COLONIAL COLONIAL PRECEDENT 55 The precedent for the defense test can be found in our early colonial colonial colo cold nial history when all citizens on a day set aside for the theA A purpose reported with their rifles to o the nearest village and drilled Son on on its commons j j OUR MILITARY DOCTRINE 1 L. L The military military ac act of 1792 laid Mown down the truly democratic doctrine that that every male citizen owed military service to his country and likewise provided for a system of enrollment and territorial re- re The defense test Is an ef effort effort effort ef- ef fort to apply that doctrine under present conditions BASIC MILITARY PRINCIPLE The basic principle underlying our our present skeleton organization Z of of the army of the United States r and its expansion plan was y I ted by JohnC John C Calhoun when hen as secretary of war he made the tho following following fol fol- ol- ol lowing recommendation to congress congress congress con con- gress The leading principles principles' in the fOrmation formation formation for fOr- mation of the military peace ought to io be that at the commencement of hostilities there should be nothing either r to new model or to create The only difference difference difference dif dif- dif dif- ference consequently between the peace and th the war army ought to be bein bein bein in the Increased magnitude of the latter litter and the only change in pass passing ing lag from the former to the latter should consist in giving it the augmentation augmentation augmentation aug aug- which will then be necessary sary RETURN TO METHODS USED IN REVOLUTION The war ar department studies of our past experience in raising armies have prompted us to consIder consider consider con con- sider dl discarding some of the methods methods methods meth meth- followed in the World war and Spanish-American Spanish war and adopt ing a system corresponding more nearly to that utilized by our forefathers forefathers forefathers fore fore- fathers In the Revolutionary days das This system contemplated that our forces in the initial stages will be raised fed quartered equipped and trained in the localities in which they reside Each local community Is so Involved in the execution of such plans that k knowledge thereof by the people is essential to success So far as is practicable this system system system tem is being tried out In the defense defense defense de de- de- de test PAPER PLANS NEED PRACTICAL TESTING The law requires the war dep department department depart depart- rt ment to investigate and report upon the of the army of the United States and its state of prep preparation for military operations operations' The value of the paper plans for the expansion of the army of the United States could only be determined by putting them to some practical test This test Is of great importance as asIt asit asit it will acquaint our people with their national defense system and determine to some extent the practical practical value of our plan |